In Between
by ADayWithNoLaughterIsADayWasted
Summary: Ever wonder what happened between Peeta saving Katniss's life after she dropped the tracker jacker nest on the Careers and when she finds him by the creek? Well I have. So this is my version of the events that happened. PLEASE read and REVIEW!:D
1. I'm Not a Fan of Cato's

**In Between**

**Chapter 1_**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games; Suzanne Collins does.**

**Also, any suggestions for a better title are appreciated. Please review it means the world to me and most importantly, ENJOY!(:**

Peeta's P.O.V.

As soon as the tracker jacker nest had come down, I dropped everything and ran. If what people said about tracker jackers was true, then I wanted to get as far away from them as possible.

I was quickly separated from the Careers, but I was planning on breaking the alliance sometime soon anyway.

Since nobody really wants to get stung by a tracker jacker, **(AN: that was sarcasm. . .) **I had figured that Katniss would come down from her tree as soon as the bugs had cleared out, and then she would get as far away as possible.

Another thing I assumed was that the bugs would follow the Careers, so it wouldn't actually take a long time for them to clear out. So I went back to the campsite to get what little supplies I had.

Roaming around with absolutely no supplies wasn't exactly a great approach in a free-for-all fight to the death.

But when I went back to the old campsite, I found Katniss and what I thought was Glimmer's body. It was so swelled; it was hard to recognize her at all.

I was completely shocked. Why on earth would Katniss have come back?

Then I remembered; the bow. Glimmer had been the one carrying the bow and arrows around. So Katniss must have come back for the bow. Then I saw that she already had to bow and arrows, and she was just sitting there looking at me. What the heck?

Now I'm telling her to run. Run for her life!

So she does get up and start to run in the opposite direction of where Cato just emerged from the foliage. She looks disoriented; off balance. I did notice a couple tracker jacker stings. But it's going to have to be good enough. At least Katniss is making distance.

I turn around, and there's Cato. He looks pissed. Although I wasn't exactly expecting more since I just saved Katniss.

I'm slightly intimidated by Cato. I mean, I've spent a lot of time with him over the past several days of the Games. Sure, he has trained for this for like, his whole life. But really, the worst thing was how arrogant he is. It got quite annoying.

Anyway, when I turn around, he hesitates for about a millisecond before lunging at me with his knife. I quickly side step and avoid a direct hit through my chest. I took in the fact that I had no weapon. Oh crap.

Cato must have seen my expression, because he grinned. He knew he had me. My dagger was behind him, so he was blocking my way to it. Cato started to take small steps towards me; he was taking his time.

I tried to conjure up a plan in my head, but I didn't exactly have many options. I knew if I got too close, Cato would feel no guilt as he quickly killed me using his knife.

So I started to walk sideways. I thought I would walk a large circle, with distance between me and Cato, and eventually make it all the way around to my dagger. It wasn't much of a plan, with a fat chance of working, but it was all I had.

I took my time too. Hopefully, if I got Cato worked up, he would, in a way, be blinded with anger. I've noticed he has quite a short temper. He once killed a former ally, by just breaking his neck, before the boy had time to even finish his sentence.

Now I was about a quarter of the way around my planned route. I was going to walk a fairly large circle, in hopes Cato wouldn't notice what I was trying to do. I guess I set my hopes pretty high, because Cato's brains soon exceeded my expectations. I guess he wasn't just all muscle after all.

By this time I was nearly half way to my dagger when Cato put together my plan, if you can even call it that, and started to run toward me. Well I was only about ten feet away from Cato. Why he thought I would stay in my same position when he took his first step, I don't know. But he ran straight there while I made a beeline towards my dagger. Cato was literally right on my heels.

I dove for my dagger, grabbed it, and swung my legs around to stand up, all in one motion. This maneuver took about a second, which I thought was pretty impressive for a baker's son, but Cato was faster.

When Cato had swung his knife, he had been aiming at my head. But when I stood up, he had no time to stop his momentum, and slashed my thigh instead. It hurt like nothing I had ever felt before. I already had tracker jacker stings, and now my leg was gushing blood. I didn't have time to look at it at the moment, but it felt like Cato's knife cut right down to the bone.

I didn't make a sound though. Sadistic Cato would get satisfaction from that. But I did stumble some. Any pressure on my left leg and yellow dots started to appear in my vision from the pain.

I swung my knife at Cato, standing on one foot, but he ducked easily. Then he, already ducked down, tried to cut my leg again. But I jumped up and over his knife, trying my best to ignore the searing pain in my leg, when his hand swept under me. Cato was standing back up in a millisecond, and I lunged for him, not a smart move considering my thigh, with my dagger aimed right for his heart. Let's just say I really didn't like this guy.

But then he jumped back. As I was bringing my hand down though, I actually made a cut on his stomach, right by his ribs. It really wasn't much of anything, especially compared to my leg, but Cato was shocked. "Lover boy" had actually wounded him. Well, okay, he wasn't really wounded too badly, but at least it was something.

Cato seemed absolutely shocked. More surprised than in pain, really.

While Cato was distracted, I took my chance and ran. . Well, more like limped. Okay, fine, I was hopping on one foot and dragging the other leg along. So, I hopped like the wind. As far away from Cato as possible. Just a few seconds later, I heard Cato growl in frustration. I guess he didn't think I was worth it though, because he didn't come after me.

A couple moments later, I was nearly down to the creek. I knew if I didn't lie down, or at least sit down, soon I would black out, and someone could easily come up and kill me.

I started to make my way down to the creek. I was disoriented from the tracker jacker stings. I was gripping the boulders, telling myself I could lie down and relax soon; I just had to get to the creek. I had only made a distance of about 5 feet, and I was completely exhausted. I noticed that I was leaving a lot of blood on the rocks. It could lead another tribute directly to me. I tried to wipe it off, but I was seeing things.

The rocks leading down to the creek were getting bigger and bigger, and I was getting smaller; making the distance I still had to cover longer and longer. The creek started to flood, rushing white water rising high out of its banks, threatening to drown me. But then there was a popping sound, like a plug being pulled, and water was sucked down into a giant drain until it was at a normal level.

I was almost down to the creek now. I was so close.

But I couldn't make it.

I collapsed down into the plants, relieved that there was no longer any weight on my leg.

**Thanks for reading! And I'll say it again, **any suggestions for a better title are appreciated. If I get enough reviews, I will make it a 2-shot and write up to the point where Katniss finds Peeta. Thanks! And don't forget to review!****

****V****

****V****

****V****


	2. Waiting and Now I'm Found

**In Between**

**Hey! Sorry I haven't updated in a while . . . busy busy busy! But thanks for reading and PLEASE review! It makes me very happy. (: Enjoy!**

**Oh! And I do NOT own the Hunger Games.**

**Chapter 2:**

_Peeta's POV_

I just lay there, in the plants by the creek, for a while. Actually, for at least half an hour, but that time was not enough.

I was very, very, very, weak. I knew it too. Eventually, I told myself that if I stayed lying there, then it was pretty much guaranteed that some other tribute would come along and kill me off easily. I would not rest until I was well hidden. I knew there was zero chance of me walking anytime soon.

It took more effort than it should for me to sit half way up and take in my surroundings. I was lying in the muddy bank of the creek. There were weeds and some random foliage all around me. I might as well get started.

I scooted myself over a couple of feet, using my good leg and mostly my arms. Then, I propped myself up on my arms and started to sort of clear away the mud and plants from the spot where I had collapsed earlier.

I pretty much dragged myself back to my original spot, now clear of the plants. I tried my best to sit up, with hardly any success.

I guess it was better this way though. Now I started to cover myself up with all the weeds and other plants and mud that I had cleared off.

My stomach started grumbling. Come to think of it, I hadn't eaten in a while. So I scarfed down a few juicy berries that were by the creek.

Satisfied, I started to skillfully sculpt mud, weeds, and pebbles onto my arms. It took a while, but really that's only because it took me a good amount of time just to sit up. Once I was in a sitting position, but with my lower body still camouflaged, I had started to disguise my arms to look exactly like the bank of the creek.

Done with my arms, I got to work to camouflage my face. This was a bit harder. Not being able to see my face was definitely an obstacle.

But eventually I was done. I had camouflaged myself to blend right in with the muddy bank.

I guess frosting the cakes at the bakery all those years had really paid off. Now, I'm really glad that I'd had the frosting experience.

I lied down again. Now, I could relax.

And relax I did. Nothing happened for the rest of the day. I figured I should probably at least try to stay alert, but if I'm honest, that was never really likely to happen. I passed out around noon, probably from blood loss, and when I woke up, it was already getting dark. I thought it must be around 8 o'clock. I stayed awake for what I estimated to be about another hour, and then fell asleep again.

When I woke up, it was just starting to get light. Several hours passed. I'll admit; I was bored as hell. It started getting dark again, and I fell asleep.

…

The sound of heavy footsteps woke me. It was pitch black. I thought of the worst. I knew Cato and Clove liked to hunt at night . . . how could they have found me?

The footsteps were getting nearer. I could distinctly make out 2 pairs of feet.

"The trail of blood ends here. . ." Uh oh. I knew that voice. It was Clove. No doubt the other pair of footsteps was Cato.

"That's weird. He probably washed off in the stream and kept going. I don't know how. Where I cut him, and so deeply, I thought he'd be dead by now. Or at least he should have collapsed a while back. As much as I hate to say it, he made it further than he should have. I guess he does have some sense." Cato's voice said.

"Yeah. . . Maybe he had help. Do you think the 12 girl could have found her Lover Boy?"

"Don't you think at least one of them would have wiped some of the blood off the rocks?"

"Well if they both had tracker jacker stings. . . He would be her main priority, anyway." Clove suggested.

"Either way," Cato's gruff voice said, clearly disappointed. "Lover Boy isn't here. Let's move on."

By this time, I could tell Cato and Clove were only a few feet away. I didn't dare open my eyes now.

Sure enough, they kept walking along. I listened to their footsteps until they faded all the way out of earshot. Only now did I relax. I guess my camouflage was pretty good. Then again, it was night time. . . Still though, I was proud of myself.

…

Days passed. Nothing happened. Still too weak to move, I listened to the constant sound of the creek's current and the noises of all the insects and animals. There weren't many animals though, but every once in a while, I could hear small scurrying footsteps in the treetops. I wondered if it was a tribute. . . One that was very skilled in the art of climbing trees. But if it was, they either didn't see me or didn't let on that they did.

I realized that I hadn't eaten anything in a long while. Come to think of it, I wasn't very hungry. I tried to eat some berries, but they made reappearance soon later.

Oh well, I wasn't hungry anyway. Plus, the effort it required to move to get the berries was strenuous. It was _so_ not worth it.

I wondered about Katniss; I hadn't been paying much attention to the sky at night. Really, I slept through the anthem at the end of the day sometimes. But I was pretty sure Katniss was still alive.

…

Claudius Templesmith just announced that there could be 2 victors if they were from the same district. I can win and so can Katniss!

When Claudius stopped talking, I thought I heard someone say "Peeta!" I could have imagined it though.

Apparently I didn't, because moments later, I heard Katniss approaching. Her footsteps were so light and quiet. I don't know how she does it. Just to be sure, I opened my eyes for a split second.

Yep, it was her alright. She was close. Only a few yards away,

Oh what the heck, I thought before I said, "Come to finish me off, sweetheart?"

There was short intake of breath. "Peeta?" I heard Katniss say doubtfully. Well I guess I can't blame her; I'm practically invisible.

She took a few steps closer to me.

"Well, don't step on me," I said. Then I opened my eyes. She gasped. This made me chuckle slightly. . . And this is saying something. I'm in constant pain and I haven't smiled in what seems like forever, let alone laugh.

Oh, the effect this girl has on me.

**So? What do you think? Please, you're more than welcome to tell me in a review! **

**Just press that magical button that makes me so very happy. :D :D :D**

**V**

**V**

**V**


End file.
